General Raymond T. Odierno

38th Chief of Staff, The United States Army

Bio Current as of July 27, 2020

General Odierno, recognized for his instrumental role in defeating al-Qaeda in Iraq, and having led over one million servicemen and women as the Chief of Staff of the Army, has dedicated his life to serving the United States. Throughout the course of his career, General Odierno has gained remarkable expertise in a wide range of issues, from cybersecurity and risk management, to acquisition and global crisis management.

General Odierno held the title of Chief of Staff (Chief Executive Officer) of the United States Army from September 2011 to August 2015, advising the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, and the National Security Council. In this role, he was responsible for leading, manning, training, and equipping a work force of over one million military personnel and 250,000 Department of Army civilian employees dispersed across 50 countries, as well as providing military and logistical support for combat and humanitarian support across six continents.

Over the course of his role as the Chief of Staff, General Odierno worked closely on key international issues with various heads of state, senior foreign diplomats, and military leaders worldwide, and has extensive experience working with, and advising Congress on national and international issues spanning two administrations.

Previous roles served by General Odierno include assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where he was the primary military advisor to Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice.

General Odierno earned his B.S. in engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1976. He later received an M.S. in nuclear effects engineering from North Carolina State University, and an M.A. in national security and strategy from the Naval War College. In 2010 he received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from North Carolina State University, as well as receiving an Honorary Doctorate of Laws Honoris Causa from the Institute of World Politics in Washington, DC in 2013. General Odierno is also a graduate of the US Army War College.